Laws Of Attraction

Oft-compared to "Adam's Rib" due to its
similar married-lawyers-meeting-in-court
storyline, "Laws of Attraction," the filmmakers
admit in the press notes, is an effort to
recreate the banter and rhythm of the Spencer
Tracy/Katharine Hepburn romantic comedies
of the '40s and '50s for contemporary
audiences. The comparison is unfortunate.
While "Laws" has captured the lively energy of
a couple whose bickering spills into the
courtroom, it has also incorporated elements
of slapstick. Solely at the expense of the distaff
half of the couple, these moments appeal to a
common denominator much lower than the
mature adult audience for whom the
filmmakers claim to be aiming.

It's distaste at first sight for high-powered
divorce attorneys Audrey Woods (Julianne
Moore) and Daniel Rafferty (Pierce Brosnan).
She practices law strictly by the book; he
always manages to win by the seat of his
pants. Soon they find themselves pitted
against each other in the nasty public divorce
of an outrageous rock star and his
clothes-designer wife (Michael Sheen and
Parker Posey), who both have their sights set
on their castle in the Irish countryside. When
Audrey and Daniel travel separately to the
Emerald Isle to chase down depositions for
their clients, they get caught up in the revelry at
a local festival and wake up the next morning
to find they've tied the knot. Now, to protect
their careers, they must continue the ruse and
act like a loving married couple.

Whatever intrigue is generated by the pairing
of Brosnan and Moore swiftly dissipates due
to a cliché-ridden script. From Audrey's binges
on sugar-coated marshmallows in the ladies'
room at the courthouse to Daniel's sudden
flash of brilliance at trial, the audience can see
the plot points coming a mile away. The film
does defy expectations by casting the man as
the romantic idealist who wants to make their
faux marriage work; it's unfortunate, then, that
his sentimentalism is off-putting. Moreover,
the complications of cohabiting opposing
counsel has been mined for greater drama,
on say, TV's "The Practice."

Put it this way: "I watch the Weather Channel"
is the film's crowning punchline. And, no, an
explanation as to the joke's relevance doesn't
make it any funnier.
Starring Pierce Brosnan and
Julianne Moore.
Directed by Peter Howitt. Written by Aline
Brosh McKenna and Robert Harling.
Produced
by David T. Friendly, Marc Turtletaub, Beau St.
Clair, Julie Durk and David Bergstein. A New
Line release. Romantic comedy. Rated PG-13
for sexual content and language. Running
time: 89 min